A system (10) for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices (40) includes an initial coordinator (38), a requesting device (60), and a resource device (62). The initial coordinator (38) includes a list of available resources (56) for each device of the plurality of devices (40). The requesting device (60) requests the use of a desired resource. In response to the request from the requesting device (60), the initial coordinator (38) identifies an available resource associated with one of the plurality of devices (40) for use by the requesting device (60) as the desired resource.
|
14. Within an ad hoc network, a method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
requesting a desired resource by a requesting device sending a resource request signal; identifying an available resource of a resource device within the plurality of devices corresponding to the desired resource; sending a polling resource signal to the resource device to confirm the use of the available resource by the requesting device; sending a confirmation signal by the resource device to the requesting device.
1. An ad hoc network for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices, the ad hoc network comprising:
a first device, wherein the first device functions as a resource manager, and further wherein the first device includes a list of available resources for each device of the plurality of devices; and a second device, wherein the second device requests the use of a desired resource, wherein, the first device, in response to the request from the second device identifies an available resource associated with one of the plurality of devices for use by the second device as the desired resource.
8. A communication system for dynamic process assignment comprising:
a secondary protocol system; and a short-range wireless local area network protocol system including a plurality of devices, the short-range local area network protocol system comprising: a first device, wherein the first device functions as a resource manager, and further wherein the first device includes a list of available resources for each device of the plurality of devices; and a second device, wherein the second device requests the use of a desired resource, wherein, the first device, in response to the request from the second device identifies an available resource associated with one of the plurality of devices for use by the second device as the desired resource. 17. Within an ad hoc network, a method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices including an initial coordinator, a requesting device, and a resource device, the method comprising:
polling the requesting device by the initial coordinator transmitting a polling signal in an occupied bandwidth; requesting a desired resource by a requesting device sending a resource request signal to the initial coordinator; identifying an available resource of a resource device within the plurality of devices corresponding to the desired resource by the initial coordinator; sending a polling resource signal by the initial coordinator to the resource device to confirm the use of the available resource by the requesting device; sending a confirmation signal by the resource device to the initial coordinator; and sending an acknowledgment signal including identification of the resource device by the initial coordinator to the requesting device.
2. The ad hoc network for dynamic process assignment as recited in
3. The ad hoc network for dynamic process assignment as recited in
4. The ad hoc network for dynamic process assignment as recited in
an ad hoc network interface, a secondary system interface, a processor coupled between the ad hoc network interface and the secondary system interface, wherein the processor functions as a transformer between the ad hoc network interface and the secondary system, and a resource management application coupled to the processor, wherein the resource management application includes a resource-tracking list having a plurality of resource information for each of the plurality of devices of the ad hoc network.
5. The ad hoc network for dynamic process alignment as recited in
6. The ad hoc network for dynamic process alignment as recited in
7. The ad hoc network for dynamic process alignment as recited in
9. The communication system for dynamic process assignment as recited in
10. The communication system for dynamic process assignment as recited in
11. The communication system for dynamic process assignment as recited in
12. The communication system for dynamic process assignment as recited in
13. The communication system for dynamic process assignment as recited in
an ad hoc network interface, a secondary system interface, a processor coupled between the ad hoc network interface and the secondary system interface, wherein the processor functions as a transformer between the ad hoc network interface and the secondary system, and a resource management application coupled to the processor, wherein the resource management application includes a resource-tracking list having a plurality of resource information for each of the plurality of devices of the ad hoc network.
15. The method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices as recited in
16. The method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices as recited in
18. The method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices as recited in
19. The method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices as recited in
exchanging the resource device for the initial coordinator when the resource device includes more available resources than the initial coordinator.
20. The method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices as recited in
searching a resource tracking list for an alternative resource by the initial coordinator when the confirmation signal by the resource device is negative before the acknowledgement step.
21. The method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices as recited in
identifying an alternative resource by identifying available resources within each of the plurality of devices by the initial coordinator when the confirmation signal by the resource device is negative before the acknowledgement step.
22. The method for dynamic process assignment among a plurality of devices as recited in
|
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to wireless communication systems and in particular to wireless communication systems incorporating dynamic process assignment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Short-range wireless communication and personal area networks will soon proliferate in common household products as well as mobile business products. Currently many products that have wireless capability are incompatible. Short-range wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols such as Bluetooth, HomeRF, and IEEE 802.11 provide an avenue towards compatibility. These short-range WLAN protocols operate at lower power and over shorter distances. These short-range WLAN protocols generally use unlicensed spectrum and require minimal coordination with the secondary communication protocol of the device (e.g., GSM, IS-95, IS-136, ReFLEX™, etc.).
Short-range wireless communication can be, for example, provided using an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication standard. IrDA is a point-to-point, narrow angle (30 degree cone), ad-hoc data transmission standard designed to operate over a distance of zero (0) to one (1) meter and at speeds of 9600 bits per second to 16 Mega bits per second. Similarly, the short-range communication can be provided using a Bluetooth communication standard. Bluetooth is a short range, point-to-multipoint voice and data transfer standard designed to operate over a nominal distance of ten (10) centimeters to ten (10) meters, but can be extended to one hundred (100) meters by increasing transmit power. Bluetooth operates in the 2.4 Gigahertz radio frequency range.
Short-range WLAN protocols such as IrDA and Bluetooth technology allow for the replacement of the many proprietary cables that connect one device to another with one universal short-range radio link. Short range WLAN protocol technology could replace the cumbersome cables used today to connect a laptop to a cellular telephone or between other devices such as printers, personal digital assistants, desktops, fax machines, keyboards, joysticks or virtually any other digital device. Refrigerators, microwave ovens, dish washers, laundry washers & dryers, stereo, television, digital video disks, video games, lighting, irrigation, cooling and heating systems among others may also take advantage of such short-range radio links.
Potential applications of these low-power, short-range, protocols are wireless connection of peripherals devices, high-speed data transfers to desktop computers and wireline networks, and establishment of short-range "ad hoc networks" between similar wireless communication devices. Two or more units sharing the same channel is called an ad hoc network. In an ad hoc network one of the units functions as the master while the others function as slaves. For example, in a Bluetooth system, up to seven active slaves can exist in an ad hoc network but many more can remain locked to the same master in a so-called parked state. These parked units cannot be active on the channel, but remain synchronized to the master. The master always controls the channel access for both the active and the parked units. The master in a Bluetooth system controls the traffic across the channel using a polling scheme. Once an ad hoc network has been established, master-slave roles can be exchanged. To avoid collisions, communication between two slaves can only be accomplished through the master unit.
Many short-range communication WLANs such as the Bluetooth system further supports scatternets. A scatternet is the combination of two or more ad hoc networks with overlapping coverage area. Each ad hoc network can only have one master. However, a master in one ad hoc network can participate as a slave in another and slaves can also participate in different ad hoc networks on a time division multiplex basis. Ad hoc networks within a scatternet are not time or frequency synchronized. Each ad hoc network uses its own hopping sequence.
The devices participating in an ad hoc network each include different processes capabilities. For example, some have more processing power, some have access to an unlimited power source, and some include a variety of powerful applications. Further, usage profiles vary for each device. For example, printers may have a low usage profile and thus have some additional free computing time. Similarly, the personal computer in an office may have a high usage profile but may be the only device that has a particular application on board. One personal computer may have access to a higher speed modem.
What is needed is a system and method for dynamically assigning processes within a WLAN such as an ad hoc network to optimize the shared capabilities of each individual unit within the network.
The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention.
Referring to
It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the secondary protocol system 12, in accordance with the present invention, can function utilizing any wireless RF channel, for example, a one or two-way pager channel, a mobile cellular telephone channel, or a mobile radio channel. Similarly, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the secondary protocol system 12 can function utilizing other types of communication channels such as infrared channels, audio channels, and local area networks. In the following description, the term "secondary protocol system" refers to any of the systems mentioned above or an equivalent.
In one embodiment, each of the devices (i.e.: a personal computer 24, a wireless communication device 26, a personal digital assistant 28, a printer 30, and a computer 32) is a device using a short-range WLAN protocol, such as Bluetooth technology. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the short-range WLAN protocol, in accordance with the present invention, can function utilizing any short-range wireless protocol such as IrDA, HomeRF, and IEEE 802.11. Using the short-range WLAN protocol, each device will establish a list of "partners",
Using the short-range WLAN protocol, a first device, such as the personal computer 24 (User A), and one or more of the potential partner devices (the wireless communication device 26, the personal digital assistant 28, the printer 30, or the computer 32) agree to form an ad-hoc network.
This network is defined by a list of active partners stored in Unit A. The list may contain available resources for each device, including battery life, access to wide area networks, application availability, utilization, etc.
It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that each of the plurality of devices 40 in accordance with the present invention, can be a mobile cellular telephone, a mobile radio data terminal, a mobile cellular telephone having an attached data terminal, or a two way pager, such as the "Pagewriter 2000X" manufactured by Motorola Inc. of Schaumburg, Ill. Similarly, each of the plurality of devices 40, in accordance with the present invention, can be a printer, a personal computer, or a personal digital assistant. In the following description, the term "device" refers to any of the devices mentioned above or an equivalent.
It will be further appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the ad hoc network 36 can include only the plurality of devices 40 in one embodiment without the use of the smart network access point 38. In this alternative embodiment, one or more of the plurality of devices can take the role of initial coordinator or resource manager.
As illustrated in
Coupled to the ad hoc network interface 42 and the secondary system interface 44 is the processor 46 utilizing conventional signal-processing techniques for processing received information. Preferably, the processor 46 is similar to the MC68328 micro controller manufactured by Motorola, Inc. of Schaumburg, Ill. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that other similar processors can be utilized for the processor 46, and that additional processors of the same or alternative type can be utilized as required to handle the processing requirements of the processor 46.
In a preferred embodiment, the initial coordinator, such as the smart network access point 38, includes the resource management application 48 coupled to the processor 46. The smart network access point 38 performs resource management functions within the resource management application 48 using a processor command 50 sent from the processor 46. The resource management application 48 sends an application response 52 in reply to the processor command 50. The resource management application 48 preferably includes a resource-tracking list 54. The resource management application 48 can be hard coded or programmed into the smart network access point 38 during manufacturing, can be programmed over-the-air upon customer subscription, or can be a downloadable application. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that other programming methods can be utilized for programming the resource management application 48 into the smart network access point 38.
The resource management application 48 preferably is programmed to enable utilization of a required resource from the resource-tracking list 54. The resource-tracking list 54 includes a plurality of resource information 56 for each of the plurality of devices 40 of the ad hoc network 36. For example, the plurality of resource information 56 can include device battery life, device battery capacity, device processing power, and access to the secondary network for each of the plurality of devices 40. The resource management application 48, in response to the processor command 50, preferably accesses the resource-tracking list 54. The resource management application 48 is programmed to identify an available resource from the resource-tracking list 54 using the plurality of resource information 56 stored in the resource-tracking list 54 by using predetermined algorithms, as is well known in the art. The resource management application 48 is preferably programmed with a set of rules identifying the resource to allocate in response to the processor command 50. When the resource management application 48 identifies the available resource, the resource management application 48 sends the application response 52 to the processor 46. The processor 46, in response to receipt of the application response 52, enables the use of the available resource by the requesting device.
Referring back to
For example, when the smart network access point 38 has greater resources available (memory, processing power, energy source) than the other plurality of devices 40, the smart network access point 38 can run the translation application to translate the E-mail document 58, while still serving the other three devices.
Alternatively, when the capacity of the smart network access point 38 is low but still has enough processing power to download the document into another device such as the wireless communication device 26 but not run the application, the smart network access point 38 can assign the wireless communication device 26 to run the translation application itself to translate the E-mail document 58.
Alternatively, when both the capacity of the smart network access point 38 and the battery life of the wireless communication device 26 are low, the smart network access point 38 downloads the E-mail document 58 to another device within the ad hoc network 36 that is capable of running the application such as the computer 32. Once the computer 32 completes the task, it sends the translated document back to the smart network access point 38, which forwards this information to the wireless communication device 26. Alternatively, the computer 32 sends the translated document directly to the wireless communication device 26.
It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that alternatively, the initial coordinator, for example the smart network access point 38 or one of the plurality of devices 40 sets the communication between two devices of the ad hoc network and thereafter the two devices communicate directly with each other without the interference of the initial coordinator.
It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the transmission, in accordance with the present invention, can function utilizing any short-range wireless protocol such as IrDA, HomeRF, and IEEE 802.11. The requesting device 60 then sends a resource request signal 68 to requests the usage of a resource from the ad hoc network 36 to the smart network access point 38. The smart network access point 38 identifies the available resource within the ad hoc network 36 and sends a polling resource signal 70 to the resource device 62 to confirm use of the selected resource of the resource device 62. The resource device 62 then sends a confirmation signal 72 to the smart network access point 38. When the smart network access point 38 finds an acceptable resource, the smart network access point 38 sends an acknowledgement signal 74 acknowledging the request of the requesting device 60 including identification of the resource device 62. When the smart network access point 38 finds the resource identified as unacceptable, the smart network access point 38 will ideally search the resource-tracking list 54 for the best alternative, which is then sent to the requesting device 60.
To illustrate the method of the present invention, consider a video cellular telephone, which has an application to perform the MPEG4 video compression and decompression. The raw video signal can require a data rate (bandwidth) of several hundred kilobits per second (kbps). When compressed, the video signal can require as little as 28.8 kbps, depending upon the quality and size of the video image. For macro-cellular connections (i.e.: GSM cellular network) the compressed signal is transmitted over the wireless channel for bandwidth efficiency, in order to support many users. The videophone performs both MPEG4 compression and decompression for transmitting and receiving the video signal. The same phone can also be used on a WLAN, which can support higher bandwidths, and typically fewer users. When the video phone connects with the smart network access point 38 using the WLAN protocol, the phone and the smart network access point 38 can communicate regarding available bandwidth, MIPs capabilities and devices' processors, and user battery status. As a result, the devices can make a decision for the smart network access point to do the processing intensive MPEG4 video compression and decompression and then transmit the uncompressed video signal to the user's device with a higher bandwidth WLAN protocol. This saves battery power and potentially speeds up the video processing at the expense of consuming WLAN bandwidth and processing resources of the smart network access point. The decision of the smart network access point to perform the video compression and decompression can be made on a frame by frame basis, so the smart network access point 38 can continue to handle other processes intermittently.
Although the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that all such alterations and modifications be considered as within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Eaton, Eric Thomas, Gorday, Robert Mark, Sibecas, Salvador, Gorday, Paul Edward
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
10143024, | Oct 20 2006 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Communication parameter setting method, communicating apparatus, and managing apparatus for managing communication parameters |
10616863, | Apr 23 2003 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Wireless communication system, device, and control method for searching multiple communication frequency channels and processing cryptographic communication in an infrastructure mode using a received communication parameter including information of an encrypted key |
10750555, | Oct 20 2006 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Communication parameter setting method, communicating apparatus, and managing apparatus for managing communication parameters |
7162202, | Jun 28 2002 | Nokia Siemens Networks Oy | Creating user groups in mobile terminal communities |
7970386, | Jun 03 2005 | Malikie Innovations Limited | System and method for monitoring and maintaining a wireless device |
8131859, | Apr 23 2003 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Wireless communication system, and wireless communication device and control method |
8250218, | Apr 23 2003 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Wireless communication system, and wireless communication device and control method for establishing a one-to-one relationship between wireless communication devices |
8351908, | Jun 03 2005 | Malikie Innovations Limited | System and method for monitoring and maintaining a wireless device |
8369231, | Feb 10 2006 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Communication device, communication method, control method for communication device, and communication system |
8391258, | Oct 20 2006 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Communication parameter setting method, communicating apparatus, and managing apparatus for managing communication parameters |
8756305, | Apr 23 2003 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Information processing apparatus and connection control method for joining a wireless network and searching for a printer having a predetermined function |
8849257, | Jun 03 2005 | Malikie Innovations Limited | System and method for monitoring and maintaining a wireless device |
9167371, | Apr 23 2003 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Wireless communication system, and wireless communication device and control method for establishing a connection with another wireless device before an elapsed time period without the intervention of a base station |
9268510, | Apr 23 2003 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Information processing apparatus and connection control method for searching for a printer having a predetermined function identified by identification information included in a beacon signal and sending a print request directly to the printer which is operating as an access point without going through an external access point |
9432871, | Jun 03 2005 | Malikie Innovations Limited | System and method for monitoring and maintaining a wireless device |
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
5341477, | Feb 24 1989 | HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L P | Broker for computer network server selection |
5845116, | Apr 14 1994 | Hitachi, LTD | Distributed computing system |
6016393, | Jul 08 1993 | Intellectual Ventures I LLC | System and method for distributed computation based upon the movement, execution, and interaction of processes in a network |
6061744, | May 12 1998 | Autodesk, Inc. | Generous tit-for-tat cooperative distributed computing |
6078959, | Jan 29 1998 | Opuswave Networks, Inc | Subscriber-originated call deferred queuing |
6163680, | Jun 17 1998 | MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC | Two way radio communication system and method for establishing communication |
6282577, | Jul 31 1997 | NEC Corporation | Mobile terminal and method for controlling network connection thereof |
6307843, | Jul 18 1997 | NEC Corporation | Ad hoc network of mobile hosts using link table for identifying wireless links and destination addresses |
6597907, | May 05 2000 | CLUSTER, LLC; Optis Wireless Technology, LLC | Detection of a deadlocked resource condition in a pool of shared resources |
6604140, | Mar 31 1999 | Wistron Corporation | Service framework for computing devices |
6735417, | Aug 15 2002 | ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC | Method and apparatus for relaying information in an AD-HOC network |
Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Mar 28 2001 | GORDAY, PAUL EDWARD | MOTOROLA, INC , A DELAWARE CORPORATION | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 011732 | /0726 | |
Mar 28 2001 | GORDAY, ROBERT MARK | MOTOROLA, INC , A DELAWARE CORPORATION | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 011732 | /0726 | |
Mar 28 2001 | EATON, ERIC THOMAS | MOTOROLA, INC , A DELAWARE CORPORATION | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 011732 | /0726 | |
Mar 29 2001 | SIBECAS, SALVADOR | MOTOROLA, INC , A DELAWARE CORPORATION | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 011732 | /0726 | |
Apr 02 2001 | Motorola, Inc. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Jul 31 2010 | Motorola, Inc | Motorola Mobility, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 025673 | /0558 | |
Jun 22 2012 | Motorola Mobility, Inc | Motorola Mobility LLC | CHANGE OF NAME SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 029216 | /0282 | |
Oct 28 2014 | Motorola Mobility LLC | Google Technology Holdings LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 034244 | /0014 |
Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
Apr 17 2008 | M1551: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 4th Year, Large Entity. |
Apr 24 2012 | M1552: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 8th Year, Large Entity. |
May 16 2016 | M1553: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 12th Year, Large Entity. |
Date | Maintenance Schedule |
Nov 16 2007 | 4 years fee payment window open |
May 16 2008 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Nov 16 2008 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
Nov 16 2010 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
Nov 16 2011 | 8 years fee payment window open |
May 16 2012 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Nov 16 2012 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
Nov 16 2014 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
Nov 16 2015 | 12 years fee payment window open |
May 16 2016 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Nov 16 2016 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
Nov 16 2018 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |